III. Beth Lipman

Beth Lipman, One and Others, glass installation, 65"x78"x41", 2013.

 

 Beth Lipman's One and Others sits in the center of a medium-sized gallery on the third floor of the Norton Museum's southwest wing. The installation is deceptively simple: a dramatically lit still life composed of dozens of pieces of clear glass of various sizes, all arrayed atop a black rectangular box. There are candlesticks, wineglasses, bowls, plants, pieces of fruit, an artist's palette.

 

Artist statement:

My work pays homage to still life paintings from the 17th – 20th centuries. Still lives can be contemplated on a purely atheistic level, or they can be interpreted on a political, moral or theological level and were usually influenced by economic or socio-cultural events. Instead of striving for illusionary perfection, the glass process is used to record of my ability to control the material at that moment.

Artist explanation:

 Glass has a perpetuity, or immortality to it. Even though glass is fragile, it mimics the life cycle. It has a duality to it. It’s fragile and perishable, but also perpetual.

This artwork reflects a view of mortality by expressing the sensitivity of life. Life may be at times fragile and beautiful at the same time. The way Beth Lipman shows this is by creating a fragile sculpture but in ways and shapes that promote life within the artwork.

Sources:
http://bethlipman.com/